A Good Reason Not To Be An Organ Donor

Posted By: Adam 8 Comments
Religious obligations aside, I've always felt that there was absolutely no reason anyone should NOT be an organ donor. As my mom always said, "I'm not going to be using it any more…" As a matter of fact, I've always thought it should be an opt-out process rather than an opt-in process. Yesterday I was reading up on some volunteering opportunities to consider for this summer, and happened across some information that people who get regular IV infusions are more or less prohibited from donating blood. It's kind of ironic that the reason that I've overcome my fear of needles is also the reason I can't give blood. To add insult to injury, it stands that if I can't give blood, they're probably not going to want my organs either. So I guess now I have to go down to the DMV and take myself off of the list. That's an embarrassing thought, for someone who's spent his entire life preaching the righteousness of organ donation. I guess that means I have a better chance of becoming a cadaver for medical students or going to a body farm. Now where do I go to sign up for that?

8 responses to “A Good Reason Not To Be An Organ Donor”

  1. Dont make any quick decisions about taking yourself off that donor list!!! One of us can check out the proper sites and see if you truly cannot be a donor. Many times you still CAN be a donor. I'll try hard to find the time to do some searching for you.

    MomT

    MomT ~ Aug 4, 2008 at 9:58 PM

  2. You can still be an organ donor. They may not be able to use your live organs (heart, lungs, kidney, liver etc) but that does not mean they cannot use your soft tissue, and bone which are also very important to patients, espically with all of the reconstructive surgery they can do these days! It is amazing what they can do, and unfortunately like live organs there are limited supplies and there are times it is hard to find the tissue or bone that is needed. For example A young person who was an organ donor, even though they could not use their live organs, their tissue, and bones were able to be used and TADA I recieved a heart valve when I needed it. It wouldn't have happened if they or their family had said well you can't use this so off the list it is, when their tissues helped change lives, whether it was the patients' life, or their limb, everything helps when quality of life is improved!! There are members of my family who know that they are unable to donate all of their live organs due to long term illness and medication that signed up to be organ donors after my surgery so that they too could give their tissue and bone to patients who need it. Even though it is not as immediate it still serves a wonderful purpose and think you shouldn't give up on organ donation!

    Kev and Shelly

    Kev and Shelly ~ Aug 4, 2008 at 9:58 PM

  3. Excellent point, Shelly. From someone who has benefitted from it yourself. Thanks for speaking up!

    MomT

    MomT ~ Aug 4, 2008 at 9:58 PM

  4. That's fair enough. Do I need to point out my medical history somewhere so that they are immediately aware of my coniditions, or can I rely on them checking my medical records?

    Adam

    Adam ~ Aug 4, 2008 at 9:58 PM

  5. You can rely on them to check everything, and then to check it again. Any donor teams I have worked with are very thorough and take care of determining medical history, exactly what they can use, and what they can't. I would not worry about having a list or not of your medical problems because they will get your chart and take care of all the testing they need.

    Kev and Shelly

    Kev and Shelly ~ Aug 4, 2008 at 9:58 PM

  6. Over half of the 99,000 Americans on the national transplant waiting list will die before they get a transplant. Most of these deaths are needless. Americans bury or cremate about 20,000 transplantable organs every year. Over 6,000 of our neighbors suffer and die needlessly every year as a result.

    There is a simple way to put a big dent in the organ shortage -- give organs first to people who have agreed to donate their own organs when they die.

    Giving organs first to organ donors will convince more people to register as organ donors. It will also make the organ allocation system fairer. People who aren't willing to share the gift of life should go to the back of the waiting list as long as there is a shortage of organs.

    Anyone who wants to donate their organs to others who have agreed to donate theirs can join LifeSharers. LifeSharers is a non-profit network of organ donors who agree to offer their organs first to other organ donors when they die. Membership is free at www.lifesharers.org or by calling 1-888-ORGAN88. There is no age limit, parents can enroll their minor children, and no one is excluded due to any pre-existing medical condition.

    Dave

    Dave ~ Aug 4, 2008 at 9:58 PM

  7. Sorry Dave, but I have to disagree with you. I'm not an organ donor for my own benefit. I believe my organs should go to the person(s) who need them most, regardless of whether or not they themselves are donors. Who knows, maybe your selfless act will give them a change of heart! (Awful pun very much intended.)

    People should be organ donors because it's the right thing to do; not because they're worried they might not get the organs they could one day be in dire need of.

    Adam

    Adam ~ Aug 4, 2008 at 9:58 PM

  8. Well said, kiddo.

    MomT

    MomT ~ Aug 4, 2008 at 9:58 PM